In a world where time is precious, the opportunity to embark on a 12-week sabbatical is nothing short of a modern-day luxury.

At Clickstop, the Freedom Retreat benefit is a transformative experience designed to enrich lives, encourage self-discovery, and foster a deep sense of freedom. Jake Feldmann, one of our employee-owners, journeyed through his 12-week Freedom Retreat at the end of the summer.

Teamwork and Growth

Preparation played a pivotal role in Jake’s successful extended leave. Prior to his retreat, his daily tasks were strategically divided among his team to ensure a balanced workload. This process allowed the team to reflect on their work and responsibilities, fostering an environment of self-improvement and teamwork. Everyone stepped up to cover additional tasks, embodying Clickstop’s core value of Promote a Winning Team Spirit.

This part of the sabbatical process is one of the reasons Clickstop offers this benefit. It benefits the employee, team, and company to have someone evaluate the work they do every day with a new level of scrutiny. People ask great questions which leads to cross-training opportunities and a renewed focus on the work that is most impactful.

Exploring & Recharging

Jake’s 12-week sabbatical, from July 6 to September 27, was driven by a desire to recharge and explore his passions. He viewed this time as a mini-retirement, an opportunity to fully enjoy life while still achieving meaningful goals. After indulging in some well-deserved relaxation (and binging of Breaking Bad for the first time), he ventured out on a family adventure out West, exploring multiple national parks: the Black Hills Nation Forest, The Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park.

He didn’t stop with just one adventure. A trip to Boston with friends was an opportunity to experience new places and flavors. When not exploring, Jake recharged at home, focusing on well-being and self-improvement.

I exercised almost daily, getting 30,000 steps one day. I built a consistent schedule with exercise, meditation, yoga, reading, and learning. While I didn’t do all of those activities every day, it did help build some habits that I am still doing today.”

The Gift of Freedom

Most individuals only get to take extended leave due to unforeseen circumstances. What sets Clickstop’s Freedom Retreat apart is the ability to take significant time off with partial pay and the assurance of returning to the job you enjoy with a fresh mind and body. This unique benefit offers a sense of freedom like no other. Jake’s advice to those considering a Freedom Retreat is to set clear goals for what they want to accomplish.

“Having the ability to take that time off was beneficial to me in every way,” said Jake. “I was able to spend more time with friends and family. I was able to work on projects and goals that I simply didn’t have the bandwidth to do before. It gave me a renewed sense of purpose and excitement in my life.”

This unique benefit symbolizes Clickstop’s commitment to employee well-being and growth. It’s an investment in personal development that benefits both individuals and the organization.

Intrigued about what other benefits Clickstop offers its employee-owners?

Check out our benefits here.